One in pain
by Mavra
Summary: Hermione sat by the window in her room at home staring at the rain and clutching herself. She tried to ignore the sounds of fighting coming from her parent’s room but even studying couldn’t distract her from the sounds that carried.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I own nothing. It is all the great JKR's, I'm just playing with them and I swear I'll give them back.

       Hermione sat by the window in her room at home staring at the rain and clutching herself. She tried to ignore the sounds of fighting coming from her parent's room but even studying couldn't distract her from the sounds that carried. The noises of pain her mother made and the sounds of her father's fists hitting her flesh again and again. Hermione curled up tighter and withdrew into her head. *One last summer* she thought *and I'll be gone. Thank god this is my last year.* 

          Hermione was distracted from her thoughts by her mother's voice screaming. "No baby please!" Then a sound she had never heard from there before, gunfire. Her mother's voice was cut-off mid-scream and the house was silent for precious seconds.  Then she heard her fathers footsteps leave their bedroom and walk towards her bedroom. She grasped her knees and tried to shrink herself down even smaller knowing what her father usually demanded from her after one of their fights. The footsteps paused for long minutes outside her door and she sat completely still not even breathing until the footsteps continued on down the stairs and out the front door. Only when she saw her father walk past the window and down the street did she uncurl herself and venture down the hallway on trembling legs. She was so afraid but already knowing in her heart what she would find.

She opened the door to her parent's bedroom. At first glance all she saw was patterns of red and white, then it coalesced.  Hermione saw first the crimson blotches on the ivory linens of her parent's bed. Then a red spray misted across the oak headboard. Finally the body of her mother lying on the floor, one arm draped in the spill of bloodstained fabric that she must have pulled with her when she fell to the floor.

          "Mommy?" Hermione said in a pleading voice shaking her head in denial of the sight in front of her. She slowly sank to the floor circling her knees to her chest as she sat rocking back and forth gently as tears fell without her notice.

          "What are you doing in here you little bitch?"

          Hermione snapped out of her trance at the sounds of her fathers enraged voice. She looked up at him towering over her, his fist clenched. "Daddy I…"

          "Shut up" he screamed at her and began hitting her, first open handed slaps but graduating into full strength punches on any surface of her body they could reach. Finally she lay there gasping for breath as he looked at his handiwork.  "There there daddy's going to make everything better" he said in a mockingly caring voice and began to undo his belt.

          Hermione just lay there as her father undressed, in too much pain to move. "Daddy please don't" she begged as he forced her legs apart and ripped her panties off her. His only response was to punch her one final time that knocked her and her protesting voice out. 

          When she awoke her father was gone and she was lying next to her dead mother where her father had left her. Her body was one stabbing pain and she knew he had meant for her to die as well. She looked at her body and couldn't believe that it was her. Every inch of her skin that she could see was bruised, marked or bleeding. "Oh god" she thought and dissolved into tears once again. After a long while she managed to calm herself down long enough to decide what to do. She needed to get out of there and painfully shuffled down to her leaning on the wall to support herself,  leaving blood smeared down the wall as she went. When she finally made it to her bedroom she started throwing her school things in her trunk haphazardly uncaring of wrinkles, not even noticing when one of her books landed open and the spine broke. Once that was done she dressed herself in her oldest most comforting clothing and tried to drag her trunk down the stairs so she could make good her escape, but her strength gave out. She slid down the wall and prayed for someone to come and help her.

A/N thanks for reading this far. It will be SS/HG eventually I promise, it just needs to get there. Please review.


	2. chapter2

Obligatory disclaimer: not mine J.K.R.'s but I am having fun playing with them.

            Snape grudgingly trod the familiar path through the cold dungeons, up the stairs and finally to the gargoyle that was the entrance to Dumbledore office. "Jawbreakers" he muttered. The gargoyle moved aside and he entered, moving up the narrow flight of stairs knowing he was not going to enjoy this latest meeting he had been summoned to.  He raised a hand to knock and heard "come in Severus" before his knuckles could touch the wood. He pushed open the door and swept inside to seat himself in the leather covered armchair that he was accustomed to sitting in at these meetings. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company so early in the morning?" Severus asked the headmaster with rather less than the usual amount of sarcasm he usually favored those with whom he spoke.  

            "Lemon drop" Dumbledore offered. At Severus's terse "no" he sat the candy dish down on his desk and prepared to get to business. "It has come to our attention through the efforts of our latest spy that Mister Weasley as well as Miss Granger have been targeted for an attack this summer. I have decided to bring them to Hogwarts for the summer as this is truly the safest place for them." Dumbledore paused knowing that Severus was not going to like what came next "I need you to go fetch Miss Granger from her home this evening…"

            Severus broke in "why must I be the one to fetch her? Isn't it enough that I deal with that…" he stopped seeing the way Dumbledore was looking at him and mentally rephrased his comments. "With Miss Granger throughout the school year? Why not send Minerva, after all she _is her head of house." Severus sat forward in his chair glaring at the man he respected more than anyone else. "Why me?" he asked again knowing it was fruitless as Dumbledore never explained himself._

            "I've sent Minerva to fetch Misters Potter and Weasley, knowing your… feelings about Mr. Potter I felt you would rather get Miss Granger. Was I wrong?" Dumbledore asked with a twinkle in his eye. "If you would prefer to fetch Mr.'s Potter and Weasley I'm sure Minerva would relinquish that job to you and instead pick up Miss Granger." Dumbledore bit back a chuckle at the look of alarm that appeared in Severus's eyes at the statement.

            "No that's quite all right." Severus said "Miss Granger it is. Does she know that I will be coming for her tonight?" he asked. Seeing Dumbledore shake his head no he asked "I will send an owl to inform her that I will be there this evening." *that way I spend as short a time in little miss know-it-alls presence as possible* he thought.  "If you will excuse me then." He said and swept out not bothering to disguise his irritation. He climbed the stairs to the owlery wrinkling his nose in disgust of the odors emanating from it. 

When he entered the owls which had been dozing woke up and stood at as much attention as an owl could. He went though and selected the fastest owl there, "now Desdemona I need you to take this letter to Miss Grangers home as fast as you can." The owl hooted softly and stretched out a leg to attach the small roll of parchment to. Severus carefully tied it on with a piece of black ribbon and sent her off through the window. Sighing he went back to his private lab to try to get as much work done as possible before he must leave.

Snape waited until dark and then apparated to just outside the Grangers home. When he arrived he felt something wrong, there wasn't anything visibly off just the atmosphere of the house was wrong somehow. There was only one light burning and everything was entirely too still. His feelings of apprehension increased as he saw the owl he had sent hours ago flying around fruitlessly outside its message still undelivered. He walked up the three steps to the door and knocked. When no-one answered he tried the knob. It opened easily, and he stepped inside. From his vantage everything was as it should be, but his sensitive nose caught a scent that did not belong, blood. "Miss Granger?" he called the only reply was the soft sound of crying coming from upstairs. He slowly walked up the steps to see Miss Granger curled up by the wall in a little ball crying, her face hidden in her knees. "Miss Granger kindly cease your caterwauling and tell me what is the matter with you" Severus demanded in a harsh tone. The scene and smell of blood making him increasingly worried for her. She raised her head and he stepped back shocked at the bruises covering her tear streaked face.

"Professor Snape?" she said in a questioning voice looking up him like he was the answer to her prayers. "Wha….what are you doing here?" she asked 

"I'm here to take you to Hogwarts." Snape replied in a gentle but controlled tone. 

"Home" Hermione whispered and finally succumbed to the pain and let herself drift off into unconsciousness.

Looking over the cuts and bruises that were visible on the poor girl he was appalled. "What has happened here?" he asked himself muttering softly before picking her up gently and apparating back to the gates of Hogwarts. 

He swiftly walked up the path to the front doors and adjusted the limp girl in his arms until he could push the doors open.  He hurried to the infirmary, laid Hermione gently down on the nearest bed and turned to find Poppy standing behind him with a look of shock on her face.

"What's happened to her?" she asked horrified at the extent of bruising that was visible.

"I don't know but I intend to find out" Severus replied "when you have finished healing Miss Granger please inform me as to the extent of her injuries." He requested in a cold impersonal tone holding his anger at this attack inside. "I need to speak to Albus, so I shall leave to get to work." With those words Snape spun around and stalked out of the infirmary heading towards the headmaster's office.

As he neared Dumbldore's office the stone gargoyle saw him coming wrapped in an almost visible cloak of anger and jumped aside before he could say the password to gain admittance. "Albus" Severus shouted as he entered the headmaster's office "where are you!"

"I'm right here Severus" Dumbledore said as he came through the discreet door built into the warm wood paneling his office. "What is the matter with you?" he asked, curious as to what could have overset his normally calm professor and friend.

"Did you know?" Snape asked "did you know what I would find when I went to pick miss granger up this evening." Unable to stay in one place Snape started pacing around Dumbledore office trying to work off some of the anger riding him. When he saw the saddened shake of Dumbledore head he abruptly sat down and began talking. "When I arrived, I found Miss Granger barely conscious, beaten badly and her parents nowhere in sight. I informed her that I was there to remove to her to Hogwarts at hearing which she fainted. I brought her to poppy and came here. Now do you know what happened there or not?" Snape asked in more control but still enraged over the obvious abuse of a child let alone one of his students.

"Severus" Dumbledore said gently "I have no idea what has happened at miss grangers home but I'm sure when she is well enough to speak she will tell us. In the meantime I sent one of the house-elves to collect her trunk and have notified the ministry of the attack. They will be working with the muggle authorities to discover what had happened. Does that ease your mind?" Dumbledore paused to look at his still agitated Potions Professor. *interesting* he thought *something has cracked that shield of his*. "Severus I suggest you retire for the night as there is nothing more to do till miss granger is healed or the authorities discover something."  He smiled "you do rather look like you could use the rest dear boy"

"Very well headmaster" Snape said curtly with a sharp nod of his head. "Inform me of any news you receive on this matter." On seeing the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes from his high handed order he added "please" Snape stood up and left Dumbledore's office. Once outside he started down to the dungeons and his living quarters.

A/N: second chapter is finally out and I would appreciate anything you have to say about it. Special thanks to my feisty sidekick the girl blonder who read, critiques and then says WRITE MORE!.........DAMMIT! and to all of you who reviewed me of course.


	3. chapter 3

Ritual disclaimer: not mine, hers.

            Snape reached the dungeons and realized he had absolutely no urge to just go quietly to his rooms and relax. He was still far too angry to do that so when he reached the turn that led to his rooms he bypassed it and continued on deeper into the labyrinthine paths that twisted under Hogwarts.  He followed the hallway he was on, torches flickering to life as he neared and dying after he passed, the shadow of his flapping robes as he passed looked much like the bat that some students persisted in seeing him as. His steps slowed as he reached a familiar door, a simple oak door that if you didn't know was there you wouldn't even see it. He stood in front of the door and spoke "Pateo Arcanum". 

The door swung open and he stepped inside. This was his sanctuary; even Dumbledore wouldn't disturb him here. He inhaled the scents of oils paints mingling with chalky pastels and clean canvases. He seated himself at the desk in the corner of the large room and reached for clean parchment and his charcoal pencils. He began a series of quick sketches of what he had seen tonight trying to get the memories out of his head and down on paper where they could be dealt with. He drew the first moment he had seen her cowering against the wall with short violent strokes of his pencil roughly drawing in the surroundings and concentrating on the hopeless way she sat there with her head upon her knees, the nape of her neck visible and seemingly so fragile. He finished that one and started on one of just her face when she had looked up and seen him. That disbelieving expression and the hope in her eyes when she saw one of her teachers in a place she had never expected to see one. He put that one aside and started a new one. He slowed down and began to draw the scene that was behind his eyelids. He drew the peace that was on her face when he told her where she was going. The relaxation of her body when she felt she was finally safe and whispered "home" not caring if her evil potion professor heard her. With his every stroke he drew the trust she had bestowed on him. When he finished this last sketch he exhaled slowly and reached for a prepared canvas and set it carefully on the easel next to his desk. 

A quick sketch was not going to purge him of the emotions that girl had caused in him when he had seen her, not as a know it all who had been put on the earth to annoy him but as a fragile hurting being deserving of care and compassion. He stood up and went to the cabinet where he stored his paints. Returning to his chair he stated a spell that directed light to his canvas and began to work blocking in the general shapes in the under painting. A few hours later he put his brushes down and looked at what he had begun. All that was visible were lights and darks blending into a jumble of shapes, nothing like what it would be but in his minds eyes he could see the finished piece and was happy with his nights work. He tidied his workspace and went over to the sink on the far wall and cleaned his brushes and himself. He took one last look at the painting and walked over to the door. Stepping outside he spoke the word that sealed off his secret place "Celo". He went on to his room knowing he could sleep at last. 

When he awoke the next morning his first impulse was to visit the hospital wing for news on how Miss Granger was doing but he managed to restrain himself. *I can't let that girl take up anymore of my time* he thought as he attempted to go about his normal morning routine. Since it was summer he thankfully was not expected to join the other teachers staying over for meals unless he chose to and this morning he definitely did not want to deal with their twittering. He walked over to fireplace which was kept lit and maintained at all times to ward off the chill in the dungeons and sent a message up the kitchens letting the house elves know it was safe to bring his breakfast down now. They never came in the morning until he had let them know he was up. They still remembered what had happened to poor Jingles when he had woken the professor up. They came in quietly and set his breakfast down on the nightstand beside his bed while he showered. He came out and sat on the bed grabbing for the pot of coffee on his breakfast tray and pouring a cup. He held the cup in his hands and inhaled the fragrance of hazelnut coffee before finally taking a sip. "Mmmm" he moaned. "This day may be worthy after all." He finished his first cup of coffee and looked over at his breakfast, an English muffin with butter and black currant jam. He picked up one half with one hand and poured himself another cup of coffee with the other. He finished his breakfast and decided it wouldn't hurt anything if he strolled in the general direction of the infirmary.

Once he reached the medical wing he paused to catch his breath before pushing open the door and entering. Madam Pomfrey was nowhere in sight. "Poppy?" he called annoyed that she wasn't right there for his convenience.

"Yes?" she replied coming out of a storage closet at the end of the room. "Severus, have you come to check on miss granger?" she asked knowing he had but wanting to push him into saying it. She just smiled at the glare he favored her with before he opened his mouth. 

"Yes, actually I just wanted to know how badly she was hurt when I brought her in." he said trying for an unconcerned tone but failing miserably.

"Well, she had bruising over most of her body, three broken ribs and internal bruising as well. Also looking at the extent of healed bones in her body she had been dealing with a high level of abuse for years." Madame Pomfrey said sadly, it broke her heart to think of what this poor girl had had to deal with in her life. "I just don't understand why she never told anyone what was going on."

"Neither do I" Snape said "is she awake yet?" he asked.

"Not yet, I don't expect her to really wake up until tomorrow at the earliest. She needs this time to rest." Pomfrey said

"When she does awaken inform me, I wish to speak with her about what happened at her home." At Poppy's nod he turned to go. "Thank you" he said as he left the room.

Poppy smiled at his retreating back, *poor Hermione* she thought *she has no idea what she's in for.* shaking her head she went back to the storage closet to finish rearranging her supplies.

A/N thank you everyone who reviewed me and thanks to the girl blonder. Also this chapter is out so soon because I fear the rubber chicken. Please R&R. 


	4. chapter 4

You guys know I don't own this, I just wish I did.

Hermione sighed in her sleep and started to stretch, then paused, the pain she was expecting wasn't there. She lay back quietly and took stock.  For the first time since summer vacation had started nothing hurt.  This didn't smell or feel like her bedroom and she was afraid to open her eyes and wake up. This had to be a dream, her dreams were the only times she felt safe anymore.  Voices intruded in her silence, a man questioning and a woman answering him. The voices were familiar, but she couldn't place them. They seemed to be talking about her, and the male voice was gentler than she expected. She almost had a name for the voice but it kept slipping away. She drifted off still searching for his name. She lay there floating just above the oblivion she craved. The woman moved around her but she paid no notice, it was peaceful where she was. She craved peace; it was a solace she had rarely received in her life. She sank deeper into her pool of oblivion with a small smile on her face.

Snape left the medical wing and paused unsure of where he wanted to go. Part of him wanted to go back to his chambers and forget about the whole situation but the larger part of him wanted to know what the hell was going on and what Albus had found out. As he debated with himself he started walking towards the headmaster's office subconsciously knowing which part was going to win out. When he reached the stone gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office he said the password and strode up the stairs. Again Dumbledore called him in just as he reached his hand up to knock on the door. Snape opened the door, entered the office and sat down in his favorite chair. "Have you heard anything from the ministry about what happened at Miss Granger's home yesterday?" he asked and looked up where Dumbledore was sitting. For once there was no smile on his face and the twinkle in his eyes was missing.

"Yes I have." Dumbledore said sadly. "When they arrived they found Miss Grangers mother dead in her bedroom and her father was not found. They believe he killed her and attempted to do the same to Hermione. The Muggle authorities wished to have Hermione brought back and placed into a foster home until this was all over…"

Snape sat forward in his chair outraged "No!" he said in an incredibly calm icy voice "I will_ not allow you to put that girl back into their world, obviously they were incapable of taking care of her."_

Dumbledore cleared his throat "Severus if you will allow me to finish, they wanted to bring her back but if I can find a guardian in our world they will accept that.  I'm thinking of asking Molly Weasley to do it, she is the most motherly woman I know and she already cares for Miss Granger. Since you seem to have developed an interest in her welfare I thought I would ask your opinion on this." Dumbledore looked at Severus inquiringly.

Severus thought for a moment. "That would be a good choice, however with the lack of….funds the Weasleys possess I would be concerned that they could not provide for her needs, or can Miss Granger access her parent's muggle accounts?"  He couldn't help the sneer of disdain that crept over his features at the idea of that bookish girl living with the energetic Weasleys.

Dumbledore nodded at him. "Funds for Miss Granger are one of my concerns as it appears that she will not be able to access any of her things from the muggle world until the investigation is concluded including money. It was a lucky thing that the house elf I sent got her trunk when she did, there is no-one allowed back and nothing is to be taken until this is all over." Dumbledore glanced and the man and hid a smile. "I'm not sure how she will be able to purchase her school supplies and other necessities, even if Mr. and Mrs. Weasley decide to become her guardians I don't see how they will be able to afford to purchase the supplies she requires with the responsibilities they already have with their own children."

Snape couldn't believe what he heard come out of his mouth. "If that's the only worry you have I will provide for Miss Grangers school supplies…. And other sundries." His voice sharpened "with the clear understanding that she will not know who her benefactor is. Agreed?" he looked steadily at Dumbledore who was smart enough to hide the smile Snape's words gave him.

"Agreed. I will send a letter off to the Weasley's at once requesting a meeting. Now if there isn't anything else?" Dumbledore twinkled at Snape in the way he knew he hated. "Why don't you run along dear boy, I'm sure you have something to do besides talk to me, go for a nice walk on the grounds for example?" 

Severus nodded his head in farewell and left the headmasters office to return to his dungeons and start on potions to replenish Poppy's supplies and hopefully take his mind off that pathetic child in the infirmary.

A/N I know this is pretty short but that's where it wanted to stop. Thank you everyone who reviewed me, I really appreciate the feedback. And again thanks to my Girl Blonder who is always pushing me to write more and now.


	5. chapter 5

Only in my dreams do I own Harry Potter, now that that's out of the way on with the story.

The next time Hermione rose to the surface of her dreams she heard two very familiar voices disturbing her sleep. She shifted and wondered why they sounded so upset. Still disinclined to open her eyes she opted to listen now and decide what to do later.

          "But you've _got to let us see her!" Harry and Ron said pleadingly to Madame Pomfrey. _

"No boys, she's still resting and I do not want her to be disturbed." Poppy said in a stern and very final voice. "Once she has awakened and the Headmaster allows it you may visit her, but not before then." She looked at the two young men trying to gain admittance and her voice softened. "She needs her rest gentlemen, I'm sure you will see her later. Now goodbye." She escorted them outside the Medical wing and shut the door firmly behind them.

"Now what?" Ron whined to Harry as they headed back to their dormitory. "Dumbledore won't talk to us until Hermione can be there and no-one is telling us what happened to her. I know Mum spoke to Dumbledore about her, but every time I ask her what's going on she starts crying." Ron's frustration and confusion was written all over his face when Harry looked over at him.

"I'm worried about her too Ron." Harry said "but honestly she'll be fine, it's probably some girl thing. I'm more worried about why the headmaster sent for you and Mione." Unspoken was the end of his sentence * and not me*. He was surprised at not being summoned himself. Without realizing it, he had unconsciously taken for granted that he was the important one, and was annoyed that there was something happening that involved his friends and not him. 

They reached the painting that guarded their common room and asked her to let them in.  In the summer they didn't need passwords to open the painting. They climbed in and immediately went to their favorite squashy armchairs in front of the fire. It only took five minutes of sitting quietly and pretending be fascinated by the flickering flames from the fire to become utterly bored. As one they turned to each other and said "Quidditch?" they laughed and went to retrieve their brooms putting their worry for Hermione out of their minds for now.

Snape was pacing the open space in his secret room fighting the worry he was feeling. Ever since he had begun his painting of Hermione it had called to him to finish and he had spent far more time in this room than he had needed to before. This painting was a demon riding him, filling him with emotion he did not want. He did not want to pity her, did not want to care for her at all but he did.  He could not stand the idea of a child being abused and the sight of his brightest pupil broken and bloody had sickened him. The information that it had most likely been her father to do this enraged him and charged his memory with things he had tried to forget. He slowed then stopped in front of his painting assessing his progress. He had surrounded her in darkness, her body vanishing into the shadows and concentrated on her face, on the peace and trust shining in her eyes. The light from her face was the only illumination the painting would have; it glowed like her spirit was trapped there. He looked at the painting slowing his breaths and calming his mind until he was ready to leave the peace of his sanctuary and resume his duties.

Hermione lay quiet in her bed, waiting for the person moving around the room to leave before opening her eyes. She was quite curious as to where she was, she knew she wasn't at her parent's house, and this place didn't smell like a hospital. Finally it was quiet and she opened her eyes. She was looking up at the ceiling and the familiar crack that ran just above her head. She sat up abruptly knowing where she was. Hogwarts. But…how did she get here? She had dreamed that Professor Snape had been to house and taken her, but that had to have been a dream. Why would Snape of all people go to her house? If that was real, that meant that "oh gods!" Hermione gasped doubling over, she remembered it all. "Mommy" she whispered forcing the word through the knot in her throat just before starting to cry wrenching sobs that shook her frail body.

 Madam Pomfrey found her curled in the center of her narrow bed crying like he heart had been torn out. Her own heart was breaking at the sight of the suffering child. Quickly she sent 2 notes through the floo to the men most concerned with her poor charge, then walked over to Hermione and enveloped her in a rare hug. 

Hermione held onto Madam Pomfrey like she was the only solid thing in her world and cried against her shoulders for what seemed like hours until she was cried out. She pulled back her eyes aching and her face puffy, looked at Poppy "thank you" she said before lying down and facing the wall. 

Poppy went over to her supply cupboard and returned with a steaming mug of hot chocolate she laced with calming potion. "Drink this child" she said offering the mug. "The headmaster will want to speak with you soon." She watched Hermione drink every drop before she left her to complete the task she had abandoned. "If you need me call." She said kindly. Hermione did not answer but gave a small smile as she watched her leave the room.

A/N:  that's it for this chapter. I can't begin to say how much I appreciate those of you that have reviewed me, I value your opinions and I just love reading them. Also I need to thank my sidekick the Girl Blonder, who checks things before I send them out to you people. I hope you enjoy.


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Harry Potter, in fact I own nothing not even myself. That honor belongs to my cat who graciously allows me to type between feeding and petting him. And of course J.K.R. owns Harry Potter.

Snape was seated at his desk in his office when the parchment from Poppy flew out of the fireplace and hit him in the forehead. He picked it up from the desk where it landed and read it. Two words, "She's awake." *Hmmm…. Poppy is still overly melodramatic. One would have thought she'd have gotten over it at her age.* he thought ignoring his own tendencies towards melodrama.  He stood up and with elaborate casualness walked toward his door. *Might as well go to Albus and see what he has planned for Miss Granger* he told himself as he walked a touch faster than normal towards the Headmaster's office.

After gaining entrance, he sat himself in his favorite chair and greeted the twinkling man seated behind the desk "Albus" he inclined his head.

"Severus" Dumbledore replied amused at the dignity his Potions Master was trying to cloak himself in to hide the reason he had arrived here so soon after receiving his note.

After waiting for a few minutes it became obvious to Snape that Dumbledore wasn't going to say anything else. He intensely disliked being forced to show any more interest in this matter but he knew that Albus would be perfectly content to sit there smiling at him till he brought the subject of Miss Granger up himself. "I presume you received the same sort of note I did from Poppy this morning?" Snape asked. At Dumbledore's nod he continued," When do you plan on questioning her, now that she is awake?" Snape asked adding "You do know I expect to be there when you do question the girl, if only to hear the reasoning behind her decision not to say anything to any member of the staff about her situation at home." Snape sat forward in his chair at the end of his statement looking towards Dumbledore for his response.

"I plan on visiting Miss Granger shortly Severus. I have no problem with you being present but I expect you to hold your temper while I speak with her. You know she's most likely terrified of you or at least of the persona you put on for your students." Dumbledore almost chuckled at the look on his Potions Masters face at the suggestion however veiled that he wasn't as bad as he appeared to be, but opted for discretion. He stood up "Well Severus, I believe we have an appointment in the infirmary." With those words he started down the narrow stairwell out of his office knowing that Severus would follow.

Hermione was feeling much calmer when Dumbledore and Professor Snape entered the part of the infirmary where her bed was at. She watched numbly as Dumbledore took a seat by her bed and Professor Snape leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest, and glared at her. She jumped when Dumbledore patted her hand, not expecting the contact. She immediately turned bright red when faced with his startled expression and began to stammer an apology "I, I'm sor..."

"Its quite all right dear, I didn't mean to startle you" Dumbledore said kindly "now that you're awake we need to find out what happened at your house the night I sent Professor Snape to bring you to Hogwarts. I thought you would prefer talking to me instead of the authorities and they've agreed to use my penseive as evidence instead of questioning you directly. Is that all right with you Hermione?" Dumbledore asked in his gentlest voice, looking in her eyes for any sense of apprehension.

Hermione looked back at Dumbledore still feeling that false sense of calm Madam Pomfrey's potion had given her. "You're right sir, I do feel more comfortable speaking with you, but why is Professor Snape here?" she asked in a hesitant questioning voice clearly conveying her surprise at his inclusion.

"I'm here because I would like to know precisely why I was forced to walk into the scene I saw when I came for you." Snape said in his silkiest voice. "Now if you're quite ready, tell Professor Dumbledore your story." He waved a hand at Dumbledore acknowledging the look that man sent his way. "Well Miss Granger?" conveying through his tone that she was wasting his time.

Hermione contented herself with a quick glare towards the corner that Snape had placed himself in and turned her attention to Dumbledore. "Sir, I was in my room and I heard a gunshot from my parent's rooms, then my father leaving. I went into their bedroom and saw my mother's body." She stopped here and fought to compose herself. She would _not cry in front of Professor Snape. The last thing she needed was one of his famous comments on Gryffindor sentimentality. After taking several deep breaths she continued in the same emotionless voice "I must have blanked out for a bit, the next thing I knew was my father coming in and beating me. He then…" she paused and rephrased what she was about to say. She didn't want anyone knowing what had happened next. "He then left and I went to my room to get things together so I could leave. Then professor Snape was there. That's all I remember." She looked into the headmaster's eyes willing him to believe her._

Dumbledore didn't press her, knowing that was all he was going to get out of Hermione for the time being. He sent a warning look to Severus, silently telling him not to push the issue. 

"Sir?" Hermione said having a question that she needed answered.

He turned back to Hermione wondering what she had to say. "Yes Hermione?" Dumbledore said 

"Where do I go now?" she asked praying that she wouldn't have to return to her parent's world or leave Hogwarts. "Why was professor Snape sent to fetch me?"

"Ah my child those are good questions. The answer to your first is fairly simple. You will be staying at Hogwarts for the remainder of the summer. In order to have this happen we had to appoint you a guardian from the wizarding world as the muggle's wanted to put you into something called foster care." He looked puzzled at this idea, Snape merely snorted from his corner. "The Weasley's have agreed to be your guardians until the end of your seventh year, unless you have an objection?" He smiled at hermione's quick shake of her head. "The answer to your second question will have to wait until you are well again and Poppy releases from the hospital wing, which I hear will be within the week." He patted her hand once again and rose from his seat. "I look forward to seeing you up and about as usual Hermione; now try to get some rest." He went to the door and gesturing for Snape to precede him left.

Snape waited until they were back in Albus's study before exploding "You know that she wasn't telling you everything. Why did you allow that stupid child to get away with it!" Snape shouted at Dumbledore whom merely looked at him calmly.

"Calm down Severus, of course I know this. However I feel that whatever Miss Granger is hiding, she's doing it for a good reason in her own mind and eventually she will be willing to talk about it." Dumbledore said in a reasoning tone of voice like he was talking to small child. "Let it go Severus."

Snape just looked disbelievingly at Dumbledore "Let it go? What happened to that child doesn't get easier to talk about with time. What makes you believe that she will ever talk about what happened to her willingly? Isn't it obvious that she has had years to tell someone and still no-one would know if I hadn't been forced to go to her house that night? This isn't one of your problems than can be solved by lemon drops and kindness." With those parting words Snape swirled his robes around him and stormed down to the dungeons, too disgusted with what he perceived as the Headmasters deliberate blindness to stay there any longer.

A/N: Sorry this took me so long to get out. I've been having problems with storms and power outages. Anyway, I'm not completely happy with this so anything you have to say is welcome. I thought I'd throw it out there while I still have power. Thank you everyone who had reviewed me, I might have quit by now except I know people are actually reading this. And of course thank you my Girl Blonder.


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own Harry Potter, those of you who thought I did…..well that would be really sad so I'm going to assume that no-one believes I own this and that you all know its J.K.R.'s.

Snape stormed down to the dungeons and slammed the door entering his potions laboratory. He went to the storage cupboard and began taking down the supplies for Pepper-up potion knowing the act of preparing this simple potion would calm him down. He returned to his workbench and began to methodically lay out his supplies in the order he would need them. He began chopping, mashing and grinding his ingredients so all he would need to do is add them when it came time for them. As he worked his mind wandered still to her. Why had she lied? He knew she wasn't telling them everything but he couldn't understand why. Didn't that foolish girl realize that there was nothing to be gained from keeping her secret; in fact it had almost gotten her killed. His mind went turned round and round trying to understand why until he realized he was getting nowhere and firmly put her out of his mind promising himself he would deal with her later. With that resolution he returned to his cauldron and resumed feeling at peace for now.

Hermione spent the next two weeks in the infirmary reading her textbooks and feigning sleep whenever Harry and Ron came to visit her. She knew that they were only concerned for her but she just couldn't face them or really anyone yet. They would ask her what had happened and she didn't want her only friends to know about her sordid home life. If her own father saw her as worthless and could treat her like he did, how could she expect them to treat her any better if they knew the truth? She knew the answer to that, she couldn't.  

Finally the day came that she was released something she had both longed for and dreaded. With a month left before school started and without the relative safety and privacy of the hospital wing she didn't know how she was going to avoid talking to her friends and answering the question she knew they had for her. 'If Ron's mother hadn't already told them all she knew' some part of her mind whispered to her. She thought back to the visit she had had from Mrs. Weasley a couple days after she had woken up. It was hard to understand her as she had burst into tears the minute she had seen Hermione but the horror on her face was clear every time she had looked at her. Indeed it was obvious to Hermione that it was very difficult for Mrs. Weasley to look at her let alone discuss her new situation. After a half hour of mostly painful silences and stilted conversation she had left, leaving  Hermione with her thoughts and a confirmation to her of how the people who she cared about were disgusted by her once they knew the truth.

          Hermione took a deep breath and steeling herself walked through the doors of the infirmary and proceeded to the tower and the friends she was sure awaited her. 

A/N: I know I know this is almost to short to even bother reading. All I can say in my defense is this is the first day in a while my computer has been working and I really wanted to get this out while I frantically write more. Anything you have to say I appreciate hearing.


	8. chapter 8

I do not own Harry Potter, those of you who thought I did…..well that would be really sad so I'm going to assume that no-one believes I own this and that you all know its J.K.R.'s.

Hermione walked slowly to Gryffindor tower and only noticed she had arrived when she stopped automatically in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. "I, I don't know the password." She said looking at the paintings kindly face.

The portrait smiled down on her. "That's ok dear, there are no passwords in the summer and I recognize you, the most studious Gryffindor. Enter and be welcome." She smiled down on the poor child and swung open welcoming her to the only home she had wanted in 6 years. Inside waiting for her were Ron and Harry with concern written all over their faces.  Hermione took a deep breath and stepped inside the lions den.

"Mione!" the boys shouted in unison, jumping forward to give her a hug and pull her farther inside the common room, "you're finally out of the hospital wing!"

Hermione gently disentangled her self from the boys enthusiastic grasp." it's good to see you boys too, what have you been doing with yourselves?" she asked in a bid to distract them before they got around to questioning her. The simple question was all it took and they were off on a rambling account of how they had spent their summer so far, constantly interrupting the other and jumping randomly from event to event. She just stood there and let the flow of their words rush soothingly over her as she took in the changes even a month had made in her two best friends. If it was even possible Ron had gotten even taller although she suspected he would not appreciate the comparison in her mind to a daddy long legs his gangly limbs suggested. His mother had long since lost the hair war with him and it now reached halfway down his back despite all of her cajoling to cut it respectably. And Harry, well she suspected the years of poor treatment had left their mark in his height as he was not quite even the average height for a wizard, prompting some of his friends like Seams who knew muggle terms to call him and Ron together Mutt and Jeff. The biggest difference she could see was his hair; he hardly had any and what there was stuck up in little black spikes.

"Hey Mione, earth to Mione." Hermione jumped a little as their voices once again registered consciously, judging from the looks on their faces they had been trying to get her attention for a while. "Sorry guys, I guess I just zoned out for a while, what was it?" she asked with a sheepish smile. 

"Hey isn't it my job to go of in a daze?" Harry gently teased smiling at her before his face turned serious. "Mione? Why were you in the hospital wing for so long? We were really worried about you."

"Yeah and mum won't tell us anything." Ron chimed in "every time we asked she just started crying and walked away."

Hermione looked at their expectant faces and made her decision. "Harry, Ron, m...m...my…..parents are dead." She stopped for a second to take a deep breath and compose herself for the remainder of the lie she was going to tell them. "Whoever it was left me for dead. I, I guess I was lucky that Dumbledore sent Snape to come get me." The minute she stopped speaking she knew that this lie was a mistake. She knew they would eventually discover the truth about her and leave but for now she wanted their comfort. She blinked, trying to control her tears as she felt their arms around her once again.

"Was it Voldemort?" Harry asked his voice flat and harsh with the anger he felt at seeing his friend in tears, and hearing the terrible news she had sprung on them. 

"I don't remember" Hermione sobbed as she buried her head in Ron's thin chest.

Ron looked across her head at Harry, both faces pale with anger and shock. They made a conscious unspoken decision to leave the rest of their questions for later and concentrate on comforting their shattered friend. They gathered her closer, murmuring nonsense words and petting her hair.

In-between sobs Hermione was conscious of a feeling of triumph knowing she wouldn't be asked anymore question before letting herself go and finally grieve for her mother, secure for the moment in her friends love.

Snape walked to the great hall for dinner and moved to his customary place at the single table in use during the summer. He looked over those of his colleagues who were staying and noted that the bane of his existence, Potter as well as his redheaded sidekick, but nowhere was there a sign of Miss Granger. He knew she had been released today and had fully expected to see her with her annoying friends. "Potter!" he snapped satisfied with the way his head snapped to attention. "Where is the third of your unwholesome trio? Sulking in your common room?" he injected his voice with a considerable amount of disdain and inwardly smirked to see both boys turn red with indignation.

Harry swallowed hard and said with as much politeness as he could muster "Mione was very tired and decided to go bed instead of eating tonight." 

"Mione?" Snape repeated arching one brow, "that sounds more like the name for a dog than a friend." He knew was being deliberately provoking and refused to think about the bushy haired reason behind his pique. He was amused at the colors the Weasley boy turned trying to stifle his incoherent mumblings. He took a final bite of the roast in front of him and turned to go adding as he left "kindly inform Miss Granger that her presence will be expected at mealtimes as this is a school and not a resort where one can choose when to dine." He left to the sounds of Weasley's sputtering and Dumbledore's soft chuckle's.

A/N:  thank you for reading and reviewing. I apologise for any errors as my beta has abandoned me for real life. Hopefully the next chapet will be up soon. 


	9. chapter 9

Blah………Blah……Blah……….not mine, Blah…….Blah……..Blah…….. J.K.R's

Hermione looked up as Harry and Ron entered the Gryffindor common room still indignant over the comments Professor Snape had made over dinner. "What's wrong? You never look this upset unless…, Malfoy isn't here is he?" she knew she just couldn't deal with him this summer. She would do something she would, well not regret exactly but still, something she should regret.

"No just that greasy bastard Snape." Ron spat "you'd think he'd lay off us. It is summer after all but no. He gave us a message for you Mione."

After watching Ron pace and mutter incoherently for a few minutes Hermione decided to break in "well?" she asked impatiently

Ron stopped and turned to her, "well what?" he asked 

"You said Professor Snape had a message for me?" Hermione looked   expectantly at him

"Yeah, that greasy, slimy…" Ron's voice trailed back into semi-understandable mutterings once again as he resumed his incessant pacing.

Hermione had had enough. "Well what was the message?"

"Basically he commanded your presence in the great hall at mealtimes" Harry answered when it became clear that Ron wasn't going to

"And that set Ron off?" Hermione looked quizzically at Harry, "it usually takes a little more than that."

"It was the way he said it, 'inform her this isn't a resort' he made it sound like you were here for fun." Ron interjected indignantly  

"He knows I'm not, and have you ever known to be anything other than rude and sarcastic to us? Let's talk about something different… what do think the chances are for the team this year?" Hermione asked knowing that that would successfully distract the boys and as long she nodded in the appropriate spaces leave her free to think about what to do about her situation.

After Harry and Ron went to bed Hermione wandered up to her dorm and curled up on the window ledge thinking about her options. Her first option was to stay and face what she knew was coming, the time when her friends found out she had lied to them. The pity and disgust they would feel, her teachers striving to pretend nothing was wrong when they all knew it would never be right or option two. Leaving Hogwarts and going where no one knew who she was or what had happened to her. Although she knew that leaving would be hard as she had little money and no one would hire her in the wizarding world with out a diploma. Also in the muggle world she had even less skills that could gain her employment she still felt that it seemed to be her best option. She finally decided that leaving was her best option and that tonight would be the best time to do it. She knew she couldn't leave without saying goodbye to her friends but that she couldn't face them either. She walked to her trunk and withdrew a piece of parchment and a quill, sat at her desk and started her farewell.

_Dear Harry and Ron, _

_            I'm not really sure what to say. I know you guys will have noticed I'm gone and will probably want to come after me. Please don't. I need to be away from this place and as much as I love you guys, you as well. I didn't tell you the truth earlier when you asked me what had happened. There were no death eaters, it was my dad, he killed my mother and tried to kill me. He did bad things to me and I let him, I let him for a long time.  I never meant for anyone to find out after all after this year was over I wouldn't have had to go back there again. But now everyone know about me and I can't bear you knowing what happened to me. I guess Malfoy was right with his mudblood comment; he was the only one who saw how dirty I was.  Please know that I do love you and I hope life is everything you dreamed it would be._

_Love,_

_Hermione Granger_

Hermione carefully folded her missive into thirds and sealed it with a bit of wax from a candle_.  She wrote the boy's names on the front and placed it to the side for later. She grabbed her book bag from her trunk and began filling it with her muggle clothing, jeans and sweaters, anything warm she owned. She left all her belongings that were from the magical world even her wand, hard as it was to let it go.  She slung her bag on her shoulders grabbed the letter and left the room refusing a last look around. In the common room she left the letter on the mantle above the fireplace, opened the portrait and left. Sneaking to the front door was easier that she had imagined it would be, Filch wasn't patrolling the corridors like he did when school was in session. She opened the door and left unnoticed. Once outside she paused unsure which way to go.  If she went though Hogsmeade she would be noticed and probably hauled back. It was ironic that the safest option for her was also the most dangerous.  But she squared her shoulders and summoned up some of the Gryffindor bravery and headed into the forbidden forest. She knew enough to avoid the spider territory and wandered far until her exhaustion caught up with her in a shaded glen.  It was peaceful and had an aura of safety that she had seldom felt. Sighing she sunk to the soft grass and curling under her coat, her bag as a pillow fell asleep._

A N:   I know again short and hopefully sweet. All I have to say for myself is that real life has been interrupting me more than normally recently. Hopefully though all the huzzah has died down and I will be able to update more often. Wish me luck and please r&r.


	10. chapter 10

I don't own Harry potter, J.K.R. does. If I owned it I would have much cool stuff.

"Wake up child…….come up its time to wake up."

Hermione heard the gentle tones of the person above her urging her to wake, and opened her eyes. Kneeling beside her was a wizened old lady staring directly into her eyes. Jerking upright Hermione flashed onto all the stories she had read as a child about witches living in the forest and barely stifled a cry of fear.

"Its ok child, nothing is going to harm you, you're safe, at least for now and you have nothing to fear from me. My name is Sabulana." The lady said swiftly but in soothing tones as if talking to a wild animal caught in a snare. "Why are you in the forest child? Don't you know that this is a dangerous place to be?"

          "Call me Hermione." She said with a tentative smile "I know the forest is dangerous, I thought I would be out of it before I fell asleep."

          "No last name child?"

          "Can't you just call me Hermione for now?" she asked plaintively.

The old woman smiled at Hermione gently but expectantly. "If you insist. Where is your family child? Don't you think they will be worried about you?"

          There was something about the woman that compelled Hermione to answer sticking to the truth, albeit heavily abbreviated. "My family's dead and I couldn't stay where I was anymore." As far as she was concerned her father was dead to her and she truly didn't feel that she could stay at the castle and see people's expressions when they learned the truth about her.

          Sabulana could see that the girl was withholding some information but decided not to press the issue at the moment. The girl was calmer and she needed to get the girl into her home, she would get some more information then. "Well you can't stay here Hermione; do you have any place to go? No? Then I shall take you home with me. There's plenty of room child, don't fret and if you wish to leave at any time you may do so." When she saw Hermione`s hesitation she sighed loudly "What do I have to do to convince you I will _not_ harm you child. In the name of all spirits and deities I know I swear it." With that she heaved herself up from her kneeling position with the help of an intricately carved walking stick that had been lying unnoticed on the ground beside her and stood waiting for Hermione to get off the ground herself.

          Hermione sat still for a minute but the sincerity of Sabulana's oath swayed her and she rose stiffly stretching her sore muscles once she made it to her feet. Sabulana motioned at her to follow and set out on a path through the trees. "How far is it to your home?" Hermione asked legs stiff and sore from both her flight through the woods and sleeping on the cold ground all night.

          "Not far at all child," Sabulana replied as we wove her way though increasingly dense foliage. "The entrance just likes to hide occasionally."

          "The entrance likes to hide?" Hermione asked questioningly, trying to follow Sabulana through the myriad twists and turns she made. Despite her age and the terrain she moved quite fast and Hermione was having a hard time keeping up.

          "Yes, but it's a rather long story that can wait till we're inside. Ah here we are." Sabulana exclaimed as she ducked beneath a mossy canopy between two immense trees.

          Hermione startled as the old woman tapped her cane on thin air impatiently.  Slowly a simple white gate appeared. 

Sabulana opened the gate and gestured Hermione closer. "This is the entrance to my home; will you enter of your own free will?"

Distracted by the gates manner of appearance Hermione nodded absently and stepped through. 

          Sabulana smiled in triumph at Hermione`s back and stepped though shutting the gate behind her. Moments later there was no indication of anything out of the ordinary having ever been in that particular part of the forest.

A: N god I know this is a really, really short chapter and I apologize. First for the incredibly long wait and then this teeny little thing. All I can say in my defense is my life has been crazy.  Anyway I hope you like it and feed the author with reviews. And thanks must go out to my new beta She Who Refuses To Be Named (but doesn't mind whipping on me to write more)


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